Top 5 topics employees won’t talk to HR about

The relationship between employer and employee can be fraught with potential pitfalls and uncertain expectations. And whilst we might like to think we’re accommodating in our interactions – a new report has found that over 50% of staff have felt bullied by a boss at some point in their careers.

The survey, commissioned by TonerGiant, interviewed over 1,000 employees in an attempt to understand the milieu between boss and worker.

When asked what employees do to try to impress their managers, the majority cited problem solving as the most impressive trait. On the other end of the spectrum, workers admit they find it difficult to discuss mental health with their employers – an uncomfortable topic trumped only by talking about money and salary.

“Our relationships with our bosses and how we conduct/present ourselves in business triggered an interest for us as it is a huge part of what we do,” explained marketing manager, Stuart Deavall.  “The way we market ourselves is important, and the business cards shed a humorous light on how this can be done. We couldn’t resist imagining what the business cards of famous bosses might look like.”

The top five topics employees find the most difficult to broach with their leaders are;

Pay – 19%

Mental health – 15%

Personal/family life – 14%

Workplace bullying – 9%

Meeting/missing deadlines – 7%

And yet, despite their reservations in other regards, over half of employees have faith that their current employers can help them achieve their goals, whilst 31% see them as good leaders.

The relationship between worker and leader should be as easy and transparent as possible. However, if termination is the only viable option in a tense situation, HR has to ensure they protect the organization against any ramifications.

We recently spoke to Ryan Watkins, of ‎Whitten and Lublin, who explained when an employer can sue an employee for defamation. Find out the surprising reality here.